Product dispenser

ABSTRACT

Adhesive tabs having individual apertures are adhered to individual miniature products to be dispensed. The products are supported on a product carrier component having passages through which the tabs individually pass. A hook component is movable relative to the product carrier component. The hook component has a hook sized to successively enter each aperture, and to successively catch and successively remove each tab from its individual product during relative movement of the components.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates generally to a product dispenser and,more particularly, to a dispenser for dispensing small productsincluding, but not limited to, miniature batteries such as hearing aidbatteries, pharmaceuticals such as pills, foodstuffs such as candy,hardware such as screws, and like products that are difficult to handleprimarily due to their small size.

Manual physical handling of small products can be difficult for users ofall ages due to the small size of the products. In the case of hearingaids that are powered by replaceable miniature batteries, also known asbutton cells each having a diameter on the order of one-quarter of aninch, these miniature batteries are typically physically handled byindividual users by first removing the batteries from their packaging,and then by inserting the batteries in a proper orientation into theirhearing aids, each time the batteries need replacement. Mercurybatteries have been used in the past, but zinc-air batteries are nowmore commonly used for powering hearing aids because of their higherenergy density and their lower cost of manufacture. Such zinc-airbatteries oxidize zinc with oxygen from the air and, hence, suchbatteries have air ports or vents that are typically covered, forexample, by individual adhesive tabs, prior to their use in hearing aidsto prevent ingress of oxygen. These tabs need to be physically removedto allow oxygen ingress when the batteries are activated and put intoservice, and manual removal of the tabs is an additional manual stepthat needs to be physically performed, thereby further complicating userhandling. The handling problem is even further exacerbated if the users,as is often the case, are elderly and suffer from reduced dexterity,poor vision, or some other physical infirmity.

It is known to package zinc-air batteries in blister packs, eachconsisting of a thermoformed or molded plastic blister attached to apaperboard card. The blister typically comprises multiple compartmentseach containing an individually tabbed battery. Yet, these packs aregenerally difficult to open and, in any event, the user must stillphysically handle the battery in order to manually remove the tab,properly orient the battery, and insert the battery into the hearingaid. It is also known to package zinc-air batteries in dispensers bymounting all the batteries on a common adhesive cover strip, rather thanusing individual tabs to cover the air port of each battery. Duringdispensing, the common cover strip is pulled off each battery, one stripsection at a time. Yet, the common cover strip typically has to beperiodically trimmed in length, and, in some cases, the common coverstrip can cause the dispenser to jam by becoming trapped and caughtbetween moving parts of the dispenser.

Accordingly, there is a need for easing the physical burden involved inhandling small products, especially miniature batteries for use inhearing aids.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying figures, where like reference numerals refer toidentical or functionally similar elements throughout the separateviews, together with the detailed description below, are incorporated inand form part of the specification, and serve to further illustrateembodiments of concepts that include the claimed invention, and explainvarious principles and advantages of those embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a product dispenser in accordance with thisinvention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the product dispenser of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken in the direction of thearrows on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows on theline 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view depicting a battery and its tabfor use in the product dispenser of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the product dispenser of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view at a first stage prior to removing a tab fromits battery in the product dispenser of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view at a second stage during removal of the tabfrom its battery in the product dispenser of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view at a third stage after removal of the tabfrom its battery in the product dispenser of FIG. 1.

Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures areillustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily beendrawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and locations of some of theelements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements tohelp to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.

The components of the product dispenser have been represented whereappropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only thosespecific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments ofthe present disclosure so as not to obscure the disclosure with detailsthat will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the arthaving the benefit of the description herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a dispenser forsequentially dispensing a plurality of miniature products including, butnot limited to, miniature batteries such as hearing aid batteries,pharmaceuticals such as pills, foodstuffs such as candy, hardware suchas screws, and like products that are difficult to handle primarily dueto their small size. The dispenser includes a plurality of adhesive tabshaving individual apertures, each tab being removably adhered to anindividual product, and a product carrier component for supporting aplurality of the products successively spaced apart at one side of theproduct carrier component. The product carrier component has a pluralityof passages through which the tabs individually pass to situate theapertures at an opposite side of the product carrier component. Thedispenser further includes a hook component having a hook. The hookcomponent and the product carrier component are movable relative to eachother. The hook is sized to successively enter each aperture, and tosuccessively catch and successively remove each tab from its individualproduct during relative movement of the components. Thus, tab removal isperformed automatically, and the handling burden on the user is easedsince the user need no longer physically remove each tab.

Turning now to the drawings, reference numeral 10 in the figuresgenerally identifies a dispenser for sequentially dispensing a pluralityof miniature products 12. As illustrated, the products 12 are miniaturebatteries, also known as button cells each having a diameter on theorder of one-quarter of an inch, and, more particularly, zinc-airbatteries having air ports or vents for use in hearing aids. Even thoughzinc-air batteries have been illustrated, it will be understood that thepresent invention is not intended to be limited to such batteries, butthat other miniature products 12, for example, pharmaceuticals such aspills, foodstuffs such as candy, hardware such as screws, and likeproducts that are difficult to handle primarily due to their small size,are contemplated for dispensing by the disclosed dispenser and are thusexpressly intended to be within the scope of this disclosure.

A plurality of adhesive tabs 14 are removably adhered to the batteries12. As best shown in FIG. 5, each tab 14 is constituted of a flexiblesheet material, such as plastic film or paper, and has an individualaperture 16, preferably elongated. An adhesive layer 18 is provided onan upper surface of each tab 14 and is operative for adhesivelyattaching the tab 14 to an individual battery 12. The adhesive layer 18is not a permanent aggressive adhesive, and therefore, permits the tab14 to be peeled and removed from the battery 12. Another adhesive layer(not visible in FIG. 5) is provided on a lower surface of each tab 14,as described below. In a preferred embodiment, the batteries 12 arezinc-air batteries having air ports or vents on their sides facing thetabs 14. As described above, the tabs 14 cover these ports to preventingress of oxygen prior to activation and use.

Turning now to FIG. 6, the dispenser 10 includes a cover component 20, aproduct carrier component 30, a hook component 40, and a base component50, as considered along a longitudinal axis 60. In one preferredembodiment, the product carrier component 30 is a generally flat, thin,circular ring, preferably constituted of a rigid material, such asplastic, which supports a plurality of the batteries 12 that aresuccessively spaced circumferentially apart at an upper side of theproduct carrier component 30. The product carrier component 30 has aplurality of slits or passages 32 through which the tabs 14 individuallypass to situate the apertures 16 at an opposite lower side of theproduct carrier component 30 (see FIG. 7). The passages 32 extendradially of the axis 60 and are spaced circumferentially apart, oneradial passage for each tab 14 and its associated battery 12. No passage32 is located in a dispensing area 34 (see FIG. 1).

The hook component 40 (shown in isolation in FIG. 4) is a generallyflat, thin, circular ring, preferably constituted of a rigid material,such as plastic, which has a hook 42, a resilient inner finger 44 at aninner circumferential surface, and a plurality of resilient outerfingers 46 equiangulary arranged at an outer circumferential surface ofthe hook component 40. The hook component 40 also has a plurality ofradial pins 48 equiangulary arranged at its inner circumferentialsurface.

The base component 50 is of molded plastic construction and has agenerally planar, circular bottom wall 52 and an upright circular basewall 54. The bottom wall 52 has an upright cylindrical collar 56 whoseupper end has serrations or teeth 58 arranged in an annulus forengagement with the inner finger 44, as described below. The base wall54 has a plurality of equiangularly spaced-apart detents 62 forsnap-type engagement with the outer fingers 46, as described below. Thebase wall 54 also has an inlet hole 64 in communication with an annularstorage compartment 66 that surrounds the collar 56.

The cover component 20 is of molded plastic construction and has alight-transmissive, circular top wall 22 through which the batteries 12are visible, and a cylindrical neck 24 having a plurality ofequiangularly spaced-apart notches 26 for engagement with the radialpins 48, as described below. An upright wall 25 extends away from thetop wall 22. A plurality of equiangularly spaced-apart projections 28are exteriorly arranged around the neck 24.

The dispenser 10 is assembled as follows. The hook component 40 ismounted with snap-type action in the base component 50 by receiving theouter fingers 46 into one set of detents 62. Concomitantly, the innerfinger 44 engages one of the teeth 58. Next, the batteries 12 with theirattached tabs 14 are mounted on the product carrier component 30, witheach tab 14 being inserted into a respective radial passage 32 so thateach aperture 16 is located underneath the product carrier component 30.As mentioned above, the underside of each tab 14 has an adhesive layerto adhere the tab 14 and its battery 12 to the product carrier component30. In one variation, each tab 14 can be inserted into its passage 32first, followed by mounting the battery 12 on top of the tab 14. Inanother variation, each tab 14 is adhered to its battery 12 first,followed by adhering the tab to the product carrier component 30.

The product carrier component 30 is then placed an top of the hookcomponent 40. Then, the product carrier component 30 is fixed to thebase component 50. This is preferably performed by ultrasonicallywelding a circular rim flange 36 of the product carrier component 30 tothe interior circumferential surface of the upright base wall 54 of thebase component 50. The aforementioned mounting of the batteries 12 andtheir tabs 14 could be performed prior to the welding step as describedabove, or could be performed after the welding step.

Next, the cover component 20 is mounted with snap-type action by axiallylowering the neck 24 so that the notches 26 receive and lockingly engagethe radial pins 48 until the projections 28 resiliently engage the innercircumferential surface of the collar 56.

After assembly, the cover component 20 and the hook component 40 arejointly rotatable as a movable unit about the axis 60 because they arelocked together by the engagement of the radial pins 48 and the notches26. The product carrier component 30 and the base component 50 do notparticipate in this movement because they are welded together as astationary unit. During the rotation of the movable unit, the innerfinger 44 is moved past the teeth 58, thereby making a characteristicclicking sound to audibly signal a user that the movable unit is indeedrotating. In addition, during the rotation of the movable unit, theouter fingers 46 are moved from a first position in which they engagewith a snap-type action into one set of the detents 62, to anotherangularly offset position in which they again engage with a snap-typeaction into another set of the detents 62.

In use as a dispenser, the hook component 40 and the product carriercomponent 30 are movable relative to each other. As best shown in FIGS.7-9, the hook 42, whose leading end is preferably pointed, enters eachaperture 16, and catches and removes each tab 14 from its individualbattery 12 during such relative movement of the components. This processis repeated for each battery in succession. Each battery 12, now withits tab 14 removed, is presented to the dispensing area 34 for furtherhandling. Thus, tab removal is performed automatically, and the handlingburden on the user is eased since the user need no longer physicallyremove each tab 14.

Spent batteries can be conveniently stored in the dispenser 10. Thespent batteries are inserted into the inlet hole 64 (see FIG. 3) andstored in the internal storage compartment 66.

In the foregoing specification, specific embodiments have beendescribed. However, one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates thatvarious modifications and changes can be made without departing from thescope of the invention as set forth in the claims below. For example,the various components need not be circular and rotatable about the axis60, but could be linearly shaped, in which case, the dispensing would beperformed along a linear track. Accordingly, the specification andfigures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictivesense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within thescope of present teachings.

The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) thatmay cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become morepronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essentialfeatures or elements of any or all the claims. The invention is definedsolely by the appended claims including any amendments made during thependency of this application and all equivalents of those claims asissued.

Moreover in this document, relational terms such as first and second,top and bottom, and the like may be used solely to distinguish oneentity or action from another entity or action without necessarilyrequiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between suchentities or actions. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “has,”“having,” “includes,” “including,” “contains,” “containing,” or anyother variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusiveinclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus thatcomprises, has, includes, contains a list of elements does not includeonly those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listedor inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An elementproceeded by “comprises . . . a,” “has . . . a,” “includes . . . a,” or“contains . . . a,” does not, without more constraints, preclude theexistence of additional identical elements in the process, method,article, or apparatus that comprises, has, includes, or contains theelement. The terms “a” and “an” are defined as one or more unlessexplicitly stated otherwise herein. The terms “substantially,”“essentially,” “approximately,” “about,” or any other version thereof,are defined as being close to as understood by one of ordinary skill inthe art, and in one non-limiting embodiment the term is defined to bewithin 10%, in another embodiment within 5%, in another embodimentwithin 1%, and in another embodiment within 0.5%. The term “coupled” asused herein is defined as connected, although not necessarily directlyand not necessarily mechanically. A device or structure that is“configured” in a certain way is configured in at least that way, butmay also be configured in ways that are not listed.

The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to allow the reader toquickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It issubmitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpretor limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in theforegoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features aregrouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of streamliningthe disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted asreflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require morefeatures than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as thefollowing claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than allfeatures of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claimsare hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claimstanding on its own as a separately claimed subject matter.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A dispenser for sequentially dispensing a plurality of miniature products, comprising: a plurality of adhesive tabs having individual apertures, each tab being removably adhered to an individual product; a product carrier component for supporting a plurality of the products successively spaced apart at one side of the product carrier component, the product carrier component having a plurality of passages through which the tabs individually pass to situate the apertures at an opposite side of the product carrier component; and a hook component having a hook, the hook component and the product carrier component being movable relative to each other, the hook being sized to successively enter each aperture, and to successively catch and successively remove each tab from its individual product during relative movement of the components.
 2. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein each adhesive tab is constituted of a flexible sheet material, and wherein each tab is adhesively attached to an individual product, and is also adhesively attached to the product carrier component.
 3. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the components are annular and are rotatable relative to each other about an axis.
 4. The dispenser of claim 3, wherein the product carrier component is a circular disk, and wherein the passages are radial slits extending radially of the axis.
 5. The dispenser of claim 4, wherein the hook component is a circular disk axially spaced at a spacing away from the product carrier component, and wherein the hook is situated in the spacing.
 6. The dispenser of claim 1, and further comprising a base component connected to the product carrier component as a stationary assembly, and a cover component connected to the hook component as a movable assembly, and wherein the movable assembly is rotatable about an axis relative to the stationary assembly.
 7. The dispenser of claim 1, and further comprising a base component connected to the product carrier component and having an interior storage compartment for holding the products after their use.
 8. The dispenser of claim 1, and further comprising a cover component connected to the hook component and overlying the product carrier component, and wherein the cover component is constituted of a light-transmissive material to enable viewing of the products.
 9. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the products are batteries having air vents, and wherein the tabs cover the air vents prior to dispensing.
 10. A dispenser for sequentially dispensing a plurality of miniature batteries, comprising: a plurality of adhesive tabs having individual apertures, each tab being removably adhered to an individual battery; a battery carrier component for supporting a plurality of the batteries successively spaced apart at one side of the battery carrier component, the battery carrier component having a plurality of passages through which the tabs individually pass to situate the apertures at an opposite side of the battery carrier component; and a hook component having a hook, the hook component and the battery carrier component being rotatable relative to each other about an axis, the hook being sized to successively enter each aperture, and to successively catch and successively remove each tab from its individual battery during relative movement of the components.
 11. The dispenser of claim 10, wherein each adhesive tab is constituted of a flexible sheet material, and wherein each tab is adhesively attached to an individual battery, and is also adhesively attached to the battery carrier component.
 12. The dispenser of claim 10, wherein the battery carrier component is a circular disk, and wherein the passages are radial slits extending radially of the axis.
 13. The dispenser of claim 12, wherein the hook component is a circular disk axially spaced at a spacing away from the battery carrier component, and wherein the hook is situated in the spacing.
 14. The dispenser of claim 10, and further comprising a base component connected to the battery carrier component as a stationary assembly, and a cover component connected to the hook component as a movable assembly, and wherein the movable assembly is rotatable about the axis relative to the stationary assembly.
 15. The dispenser of claim 10, and further comprising a base component connected to the battery carrier component and having an interior storage compartment for holding the batteries after their use.
 16. The dispenser of claim 10, and further comprising a cover component connected to the hook component and overlying the battery carrier component, and wherein the cover component is constituted of a light-transmissive material to enable viewing of the batteries.
 17. The dispenser of claim 10, wherein the batteries having air vents, and wherein the tabs cover the air vents prior to dispensing. 